The newly announced partnership between Foxconn and Sharp has been seen as an opportunity for both companies to produce IGZO panels for Apple's anticipated television set.

Both Foxconn and Sharp are already suppliers of Apple, but their new alliance has been viewed by industry insiders who DigiTimes as a way for the companies to secure more orders from Apple. Specifically, it is expected that Apple may be interested in using Sharp's technology to produce Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (IGZO) panels for its forthcoming television.

It was announced on Tuesday that Foxconn has bought a 10 percent share in Sharp worth $808 million. The partnership aims to improve Sharp's LCD business, which has been a money losing operation.

Sharp is already a major supplier of Apple, and is said to have recently begun small-volume shipments of iPad Retina Displays to the company. And Foxconn is Apple's primary manufacturing partner, responsible for assembling devices like the iPhone, iPad and more.

According to DigiTimes, Foxconn has also been investing in LCD maker Chimei Innolux, but industry sources noted that Sharp has been replacing that company as a panel supplier for the iPad. The new partnership between Foxconn and Sharp is therefore seen as more beneficial to Foxconn than its preexisting arrangements with Chimei Innolux.

Officials with Sharp expect that the Foxconn deal will create more demand for products from its state-of-the-art LCD factory in Sakai, Japan, that first opened in 2009.

The new partnership will make Foxconn the single largest shareholder in Sharp, which is expected to see its biggest annual loss in the company's 99-year history. Those problems stem partially from the fact that revenues from HDTV panels have sunk, though new displays based on IGZO panels may help.

Apple is believed to be working on its own full-fledged television set. Rumors of an Apple television picked up last year, when it was revealed that late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that he felt he had "cracked" the secret to a simple and elegant television set.

"It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine," he said. "I finally cracked it."

More recent reports have suggested that Apple has already begun to line up suppliers for the forthcoming device. One analyst claimed earlier this month that production is expected to begin in May or June ahead of a formal product launch in late 2012.

iTV announced with TV App Store, Apple TV continues to be sold along side it without an App Store (for people who cannot afford or do not want to buy an iTV now or currently).

So; the differentiators between the two products are: integration (complete all-in-one solution), hardware design (best looking TV around), simplicity (no boxes or cables, one simple remote) and an App Store. Of course the primary issue is not the go-to-market strategy (that's strategy is obvious). The issue is getting the TV Show content (movies are a bonus). This iTV product really needs a subscription model for TV Shows; this would allow Apple to subsidize the up-front cost of the TV and this would make it a hit and would in-turn make it a great target for developers, which would make it the product it needs to be. Definitely needs a dedicated hardware controller with buttons for gaming though. Apple will need to produce a games controller an an optional extra. (not an app)

Foxconn recently made some comments in the press. Among them was a claim that they had the advantage of being the designers, builders, packagers and shippers of mobile electronics, not simply a manufacturer. All a partner had to do was market the finished goods and FoxConn would handle all the rest. If FoxConn is buying into Sharp and expected to take half their LCD production it begs the question, at least in my mind, how much of the work Foxconn is doing on Apple TV, assuming it's not vaporware. The recent articles claim that Foxconn and not Apple themselves is buying up the product.http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...hreadid=147578.
Is Foxconn basically designing an Apple TV, or at least doing most of the ground work? Perhaps they're handling most everything and all Apple is doing is branding and marketing? Curious. . .

I think the idea of an Apple branded TV is overblown. Where Apple can define the market in their computer and iOS products with respect to screen size, etc., the television market is much more diversified with features and screen sizes. Most TV manufacturers produce televisions with many different screen sizes and features to appeal to the very diverse needs of the market. Apple focuses on producing the best products in their chosen market space. All of the discussions related to contracts with providers could be satisfied with the Apple TV and the recent patent news posted on Appleinsider is related to using iOS devices as remote controls. Wouldn't it make more sense for Apple to have an Apple TV in almost all living rooms and controlling that device and any other peripherals with an iPhone or iPad vs. having an Apple branded TV in a small percentage of households. Apple still has a fairly small market share of the computer market but they're currently making their money on the much more commonly used iOS devices.

Really- which ones? Which ones have "That’s four times the number of pixels in iPad 2 and a million more than an HDTV."?
or 2048 X 1536 to be more precise?
I'd like to get one now that's comparable to my iPhone 4 or new iPad.

I think the idea of an Apple branded TV is overblown. Where Apple can define the market in their computer and iOS products with respect to screen size, etc., the television market is much more diversified with features and screen sizes.

That could be said of every market Apple is now a leader in. Apple making a television will only make sense to you in hindsight it seems. To me it's simply obvious.

I didn't say I expect anything. I did say I had questions. Apparently you don't. The biggest question mark for me is just what would Foxconn do with purchasing half the Sharp LCD production if they weren't reselling it, so of course they are. Who are they selling it to? We don't know, but if some of it is being sold to Apple, that might be an indicator that it's somewhat Foxconn's product being branded as Apple's.

Apples design process has been described numerous times over the years. They do 100% of the design in-house and have the capability to produce finished prototypes of devices without external help. When they've finalized their design it goes to Foxconn (or other assembler) for mass production.

Do you actually think Apple's obsessing over every detail has recently changed and they are going to let an outside company take part in the design of any Apple product?

Apples design process has been described numerous times over the years. They do 100% of the design in-house and have the capability to produce finished prototypes of devices without external help. When they've finalized their design it goes to Foxconn (or other assembler) for mass production.

Do you actually think Apple's obsessing over every detail has recently changed and they are going to let an outside company take part in the design of any Apple product?

Apples design process has been described numerous times over the years. They do 100% of the design in-house and have the capability to produce finished prototypes of devices without external help. When they've finalized their design it goes to Foxconn (or other assembler) for mass production.

Do you actually think Apple's obsessing over every detail has recently changed and they are going to let an outside company take part in the design of any Apple product?

I don't disagree at all. That doesn't mean that Apple might not lean more heavily on Foxconn's expertise for developing a TV, something they probably have extensive experience with. Foxconn recent comments on handling every detail from design to shipment, coupled with the claim that they'll purchase as much as half of Sharp's LCD production opened up some questions for me, that's all.

I didn't say I expect anything. I did say I had questions. Apparently you don't. The biggest question mark for me is just what would Foxconn do with purchasing half the Sharp LCD production if they weren't reselling it, so of course they are. Who are they selling it to? We don't know, but if some of it is being sold to Apple, that might be an indicator that it's somewhat Foxconn's product being branded as Apple's.

When in Apple's history have they done what you suggest, with a major product category? I.e., given all that we know about the company -- and I am assuming that you too must have vaguely picked up, given how long you've been hanging out in these forums -- have they passed off someone's else's product with an Apple logo?

So, no, it wasn't my trying to evade an answer -- the answer was evident in my response if you could actually stop to read and comprehend. It was also simultaneously calling out your usual, lazy, passive-aggressively anti-Apple posts (that you never seem to tire of).

In other words, it was also pointing out (in a subtle way, but now not so subtle) that your question was pure non-sequitur b-s.

Tim Cook is gay, believes in climate change, and cares deeply about racial equality. Deal with it (and please spare us if you can't).

I didn't say I expect anything. I did say I had questions. Apparently you don't. The biggest question mark for me is just what would Foxconn do with purchasing half the Sharp LCD production if they weren't reselling it, so of course they are. Who are they selling it to? We don't know, but if some of it is being sold to Apple, that might be an indicator that it's somewhat Foxconn's product being branded as Apple's.

Oh good, the "just asking questions" soft troll has questions.

Except this question is insultingly stupid on the face of it, so move on.

They spoke of the sayings and doings of their commander, the grand duke, and told stories of his kindness and irascibility.

Oh right- whatever you say.
I get it- the iPad display is not better than a HDTV regardless that Apple is marketing it as such.

Get a life. Find something you like, and participate in that. Participating in things you don't like makes you seem like a bitter loser. You don't want to be a bitter loser, do you? Of course not! Go to the light!

They spoke of the sayings and doings of their commander, the grand duke, and told stories of his kindness and irascibility.

Get a life. Find something you like, and participate in that. Participating in things you don't like makes you seem like a bitter loser. You don't want to be a bitter loser, do you? Of course not! Go to the light!

What are you on?

What's not to like? I just want my AppleTV to have a Resolutionary display which for me would be the main reson to buy. If it only plays iTunes content at least give me a display then that kicks ass.

When in Apple's history have they done what you suggest, with a major product category? I.e., given all that we know about the company -- and I am assuming that you too must have vaguely picked up, given how long you've been hanging out in these forums -- have they passed off someone's else's product with an Apple logo?

So, no, it wasn't my trying to evade an answer -- the answer was evident in my response if you could actually stop to read and comprehend. It was also simultaneously calling out your usual, lazy, passive-aggressively anti-Apple posts (that you never seem to tire of).

In other words, it was also pointing out (in a subtle way, but now not so subtle) that your question was pure non-sequitur b-s.

I'm not sure what would be insulting to find that FoxxConn had assisted with design. As for whether Apple has ever relied on Foxconn for any design work, only Apple and Foxconn know that for certain. You can assume they haven't, I can assume they haven't. We're still assuming. Why get so upset about questions? They certainly weren't accusations nor insults.

Oh right- whatever you say.
I get it- the iPad display is not better than a HDTV regardless that Apple is marketing it as such.

As the distance to the display is a main factor (as Apple pointed out with the new ipad as it has lower ppi than the first retina display), 1080p can indeed be seen as a retina display when viewed from for instance 3 meters.

And as you might know, 4k display are great, but at normal viewing distances a lot of consumers have a hard time in telling 1080p and 720p apart !

And if I read that Steve Jobs purportedly "cracking" the TV is in any way related to Apple releasing an actual television one more time, I think I might crack.

Truedat- Steve Jobs also said. "I'm an audiophile, and I'm getting rid of my stereo." when the iPod HiFi was released. For all we know he could have been jerking Issacson's chain- giving ambigous anwers- knowing this would keep him even more relevant beyond the grave.
TV's run on content and how could SJ crack the Hollyood/cable TV cabal? You can SHOUT at your Siri iTV all you want but you're not going to watch i.e. Game of Thrones unless HBO is on board with Apple.

As the distance to the display is a main factor (as Apple pointed out with the new ipad as it has lower ppi than the first retina display), 1080p can indeed be seen as a retina display when viewed from for instance 3 meters.

And as you might know, 4k display are great, but at normal viewing distances a lot of consumers have a hard time in telling 1080p and 720p apart !

It should do for film as the new iPAd has done for print- Resolutionize the industry. It should better what is currrently available and be exclusive to Apple. Only then can I see a reason to buy.
DO I really need to talk to a TV? I can think of nothing worse than having Siri blasted though my home stero trying to change channels not understanding that PBS is not BBS when I could just punch in a channel number. A Safari webbrowser on my ATV now would be better than that if that is the answer to what has been "cracked".

Oh, if one got truly bothered by these serial ruiners, one would avoid AI altogether.

I am bothered by it as now there will harder to have a decent discussion on this thread, but AI is still the best tech forum out there, weighted by an abundant of intelligent and knowledgable posters. Unfortunately it only takes one bad egg to spoil a thread.

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